Our Syrian Twin

At the Chrism Mass on April 6, 2017,Bishop LaValley announced that the Diocese of Ogdensburg is setting out on a “twinning relationship” with the Diocese of Latakia, located in Syria. Bishop Antoine Chbeir who shepherds this Maronite Catholic Diocese of about 45,000 Catholics that has 30 parishes, 27 priests and 27 consecrated religious. War has wreaked havoc on the region.  In addition to normal pastoral activities, the Church in Latakia also must minister to thousands of displaces Syrians who seeking a safe refuge.

The Diocese of Latakia is composed for four provinces and covers about 20,000 square miles.  For comparison, the Diocese of Ogdensburg covers about 12,000 square miles.  The four provinces are Tartus, Latakia, Hama and Homs. Bishop Chbeir has been the Eparch (Maronite Bishop) since May of 2015.  

Biography

 Bishop Antoine Chbeir was born in Ghosta, Lebanon in 1961. He studied Computer Science at the Business, Automation, Technical and Computer Institute in Beirut, Lebanon, and Philosophy and Theology at the University of the Holy Spirit in Kaslik, Lebanon. He received his PhD in Philosophy and Biblical Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome.

After being ordained to the priesthood in 1988 by Bishop Chukrallah Harb, and during his studies in Rome, he assisted in serving several parishes in Italy as well as short periods in New York, Switzerland, London, Dublin, and France. He served twenty two years in the Bishop’s office from 1993 – 2015. He was also the first pastor and the founder of the parish of Our Lady of Gifts in Adma, Lebanon.

Bishop Antoine Chbeir was member of the Vocations Committee since 1993, and was in charge of the instruction of married deacons in the Eparchy of Jounieh. Bishop Chbeir is fluent in French, English, Italian, and Arabic, and he translated many books from Italian, English and French to Arabic.

Bishop Chbeir was ordained Bishop of Lattakia, Syria, by Patriarch Bechara Peter Rai April 18, 2015, where he now serves the 40,000 Maronites with a community of thirty priests. His priestly, humanitarian and ecclesial work in the Eparchy with Christians and non-Christians alike is well known and respected.

More here and here.

Pronunciation: According the the website, http://www.pronouncekiwi.com, the American English pronounciation of Chbeir sounds like SPEER.